Kasimir had learned long ago that his status as a bastard made things quite awkward. He had grown used to it, and so he put that into the next logical step of this undesirable situation and merely answered matter-of-fact, even though he had not quite expected someone to ask him about it to his face. "Word spreads quickly. I am he, regrettably." 

"I hear yu attack't heem before he coot even draw hiss swerd." She said, looking at him with the most innocent eyes Kasimir had ever seen. He was about as convinced as all the rest, but it was a stark contrast to the sharp eyed looks she had cast both times he had seen her previously. A nobleman sucked in a breath at the abrupt statement, and the two aristocratic women shared concerned glances. Even Oderik glanced at Eleanor, though only out of unease for her own embarrassment. It was only a reflex however. Kasimir knew whatever she said on the incident, it was his reputation on the line, not hers.

"I can say with honesty that is just a rumor." Kasimir said confidently, gingerly inclining his head to the woman. He sighed, as if the whole thing were some tragedy. He did not have to pretend much. He did not care about Clausewitz, but the duel's aftermath had been a headache. "I tried to alleviate his grievances but he attacked me and I defended himself. I never attack first, if I can help it." 

"Ah, I zee." She said, as if she had just been granted the meaning of a particularly troublesome riddle. "It iz funnee. You say zis, and yet you, vat iz ze verd, assult our conversay-zhun and place yourzelf at ze center?" 

"I am certain sir Reinhardt had no such intentions," Sir Oderick remarked, placing a comforting hand on Eleanour's dainty fingers. Despite the assurance, Oderick gave Kasimir a look of warning. Kasimir subtly glanced at the others, and it seemed half of the small crowd looked morbidly curious on the affair, while the two men were taking the opportunity to oggle Eleanor while the brettonian was distracted. Kasimir's eyes met one of the noblewomen, and her gaze averted sharply with a light blush. He guessed his reputation was not entirely detrimental. 

"If I offended you, I apologize." Kasimir lamented to Eleanor. "I believe my manners have fled me with my weariness. I have just returned, actually. I have spent the better part of three years in the south, mostly Altdorf." 

One woman nodded and the other said 'ah,' as the men listened. Oderick took it as a bandaid for this entire disagreement.

Eleanor smiled. "Iz it beautiful? I haf never been." 

Kasimir looked at her, turning his head slightly. "But mademoiselle, you had to have traveled through reikland in order to get here." 

She opened her mouth, and then closed it. Whatever was going through her mind, it reasserted itself as quick as a whip crack. "Non, I took a sheehp. I landed in marienburg and travelled nurth from zere." 

Kasimir kept his face a mask of congeniality, but he was not going to let it go. "My mistake. It is good you did not travel through the capital. A lovely city," He remarked, casting his gaze to those around him before settling back on Eleanor. "but I find the people arrogant, uneducated, and as plump as wine sacks." 

There. For the briefest moment, he saw utter annoyance behind her eyes. She played it off well, however. Her gaze was disapproving, her full lips almost in a pout. "Zat iz a very root thing to say, monsier. Yu are quite uncouth." 

"This is Middenheim, my lady De Aberville. We are nothing if not uncouth." He said, granting her a bow to hide his smile. "I am certain your man is familiar with such things, especially after a successful battle." Oderick nodded at the compliment, though he still seemed a bit uneasy about the direction this conversation had taken.

"And yit no von seems out uff plece, bet you." She replied, her laughter like angelic bells. It put the group at ease, and a few laughed with her. Eleanor gave a playful smile, even though he was certain she was attempting to be scathing. "Small vonder you did not appear here viz a voman." 

Kasimir's mirth fled and he stiffened. 

It was a sore subject for him. He had no trouble with his appearance, but he was constantly thrust into social situations where he was the lowest on the social ladder. He would be lucky to marry anyone at all, truth be told. Even if he took the noblewoman who had been eyeing him aside after the party, she would deny it the next day and likely have him caught in a scandal. There was a touch of victory in Eleanour's eyes, Kasimir imagined. 

He gave a wintry smile. "I have my eye on one," He said as if to no one in particularly, however his second statement landed his gaze squarely on Eleanors. "-but I believe she is untrustworthy."